The Way of Escape
May 17, 2012but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13c Temptations are enticements that are trying to get you to give into sin. All people have them and they are common to all men. To be tempted is not a sin in of …
Woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel
May 10, 2012or if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:16 Paul had a real sense of his calling to preach the gospel to others. If he did not do that he considered it …
Preach the Kingdom of God
May 3, 2012But he said to them I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also Luke 4:43a Part of the ministry of Jesus was to come and to preach the kingdom of God. To preach is to announce good news and to bring it to the people. The good news of the kingdom of …
Teaching
April 26, 2012And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues Matthew 4:23 Part of the ministry of Jesus was teaching. He taught the multitudes and He taught his disciples as well as the people. He taught the things concerning the kingdom of God and He instructed the people on how to live life. He also …
Seasoned with Fire
April 19, 2012For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Mark 9:49 The word fire is used in the bible several times and it speaks of the consuming power of God in a persons life. John the Baptist mentioned that Jesus would baptize people with the Holy Spirit and fire. …
Salt life
April 12, 2012Have salt in yourselves Mark 9:50b Live the salt life. What did Jesus mean when he said have salt in yourselves? Salt represents flavor, seasoning and preserving. To be salty means that we must be walking with Jesus and have joy. Something that is flavorful and attractive to those who have no joy. If we …
Dealing with doubt
April 5, 2012“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31b Peter had enough faith to walk on the water as he was going to meet Jesus. All was going well for him until he took his eyes off of Jesus and placed them on himself causing him to begin to sink. Jesus rebuked him …
Private and Personal
March 29, 2012but you when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your father who is in the secret place; and your father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6 Jesus gave his disciples very specific instructions on prayer. He told them that they were to …
Fishers of men
March 22, 2012and I will make you fishers of men. Mark 1:17b Recently I took a trip to the Bass Pro Shop in Sevierville, TN and was looking at all the different fishing gear available. They have just about anything you could possibly need to catch a wide variety of fish. From lures, to poles, to bait, …
Mightier than I
March 15, 2012there comes one after me who is mightier than I. Mark 1:7b John the baptist is the one that introduced Jesus as the Messiah. He introduced him as the one who came to save sinners and set them free. John was humble and he had a proper estimate of his position as it related to …
How much more?
March 8, 2012If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! Luke 11:13 If we compare human love to that of God’s love there really is no comparison. None of us would give our children gifts …
Pay attention
March 1, 2012…my son, pay attention to my wisdom; lend your ear to my understanding. Proverbs 5:1 When I was growing up, I was told countless times to pay attention by my parents, by my teachers and by my baseball coaches. Why were they always telling me to pay attention? Because I was not focusing on what …
I will build my church
February 23, 2012…and on this rock I will build my church. Matthew 16:18b Jesus in speaking to Peter about the church and gives him some keen insight into how the church is built, this is good advice for the church today. This insight is understanding that Jesus is the one who builds His church as He partners …
What should be done with Jesus?
February 16, 2012What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? Matthew 27:22b This question that Pilate asked before the Jewish religious leaders is a question that needs to be answered today. Jesus had been found innocent before the Roman governor and in a sense would have received a governor’s pardon. The will of the …
Be anxious for nothing
February 9, 2012Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God… Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything- to be anxious is to be troubled with cares, or to promote ones interests. Anxiousness and worry are closely related and they demonstrate a lack of …
A great tempest arose
February 2, 2012…and suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves. But he was asleep. Matthew 8:23 The disciples of Jesus had found themselves comfortable in the boat as they were used to always doing these routine trips from one side to the other. However, all of a sudden, …
Do not trust in the flesh
January 26, 2012Have no confidence in the flesh Philippians 3:3 Paul here mentions that if anyone would have confidence in the accomplishments of the flesh, which included his religious upbringing and his past accomplishments it would have been him. In Philippians 3 he listed his resume that included his Jewish heritage, his religious training, and experience. He …
Fellow Soldier
January 19, 2012Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier… Philippians 2:25a The Life of a Christian is likened to that of a soldier. The reason is we are in a battle, a spiritual battle, and we are fighting for the faith. The fight is a good fight …
Our Helper
January 12, 2012But the Helper, the Holy Spirit… John 14:26a Jesus promised His disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit who would be known as the helper. The Holy Spirit, our helper, comes alongside our life to bring us the calm reassurance that we need in our trials. The helper reminds us that all is …
“For all seek their own”
January 5, 2012for all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus Philippians 2:21 There were plenty of people in Paul’s day that were not seeking the things of Christ but their own way, their own thing, their own plan, they had their own agenda and they were not in one accord with each …
Reaching forward for the future
December 29, 2011reaching forward to those things which are ahead… Philippians 3:13c Paul writes a word of inspiration to those of us who have struggled with our past sins. He said that we should forget those things and simply look ahead, reaching upwards and forwards. That is to not allow your past to guide your future but …
Pursue peace
December 22, 2011Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Romans 14:19 To pursue something is to go after it until you obtain it. In our personal relationships as believers we are to pursue peace. This takes humility and transparency along with a desire to please …
Purpose in our hearts
December 15, 2011Daniel purposed in his heart… Daniel 1:8a Daniel was taken from his home and he was carried away to a foreign country. Although, in this country things were different, Daniel was willing to stand up for what he believed. Daniel was gifted by the Lord with wisdom and knowledge and he was quick to understand. …
Christ is our life
December 8, 2011For to me, to live is Christ. Philippians 1:21 Paul the Apostle was sold out for Jesus. He lived for the gospel and did amazing things. He was not afraid to die, but was willing to give his life up for the gospel. He made the statement in the letter he wrote to the church …
Can these bones live?
December 1, 2011And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel 37:3 Ezekiel the prophet was shown a bunch of dry bones and he was told to prophesy and they would live. Now we all know that bones are representative of something that is long gone, or of all hope being lost. In …
A heart to know Him
November 24, 2011Then I will give them a heart to know me.. Jeremiah 24:7a Israel had turned away from the Lord and the Lord was speaking to them about His desire for their lives. He wanted to give them a heart for Him that they would know Him. Not that they did not know who He was …
Saturation
November 17, 2011For I have Satiated the weary soul.. Jeremiah 31:25a There are times in the life of those who follow the Lord that there is a need to be refilled and replenished by the Spirit of God. This is a promise that God had for his people during a time when they were empty and dry …
Lead me to the Rock
November 10, 2011When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2b There are times when we face difficulties, trials, and even disappointments, it can get to the point of being so overwhelming that we feel it is too much and we cannot handle it anymore. This is when we …
The Vessel that God is Making
November 3, 2011…as it seemed good to the potter. Jeremiah 18:4c Jeremiah was shown an illustration of a potter working a clay vessel. The vessel was marred in his hands and so he made it again into another vessel. The idea here is demonstrated in that the potter is representing the heavenly Father and the clay vessel, …
Walking According to Your Own Plans
October 27, 2011…that is hopeless Jeremiah 18:12a The people that heard Jeremiah speak were told to return to the Lord and to stop their evil ways. Instead of being obedient and following through with God’s plan they decided to walk according to the dictates of their own heart. Proverbs 19:21 there are many plans in a man’s …
Everyone who thirsts
October 20, 2011Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters… Isaiah 55:1a This passage is an open invitation from the Lord to those who have a spiritual hunger and thirst for something satisfying. The waters represent a relationship with the Lord by the Spirit of God. He draws us to himself by his spirit and he satisfies …
Confirming word
October 13, 2011who confirms the word of His servant… Isaiah 44:26a The servant of God is Jesus and His word has been confirmed by the Father. Today, God speaks to us through His son Jesus. Jesus is the word and the word has been here from the beginning. The Father is the one that sent Jesus and …
Do not lose heart
October 6, 2011and let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 It is a common occurrence for those who are totally committed to doing good and serving God to grow weary and become tired. As you do good you do not always …
He will hold your hand
September 29, 2011For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, fear not I will help you. Isaiah 41:13 As we go through this journey called life often times, the going gets tough and difficult. There are trials and there are hardships along the way. It is during these times that we …
Abandoning the gathering
September 22, 2011not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some. Hebrews 10:25 The writer of Hebrews writes about something that really has an effect on those that gather together for worship and service. There are those that choose not to gather together with their brothers and sisters in Christ and they leave …
Let us use them
September 15, 2011Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:6 God has given each saved person special spiritual gifts. These gifts are to be used and not be unused. We are to look for ways to use the gifts that the Lord has given us. There …
Remember your Creator
September 8, 2011remember you creator before the silver cord is loosed. Ecclesiastes 12:6 The preacher in Ecclesiastes is giving some good advice for our lives. He prompts us to remember the Lord before our life passes by. Is it possible to forget our creator? Psalm 106:13 They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His …
God can do it
September 1, 2011Is anything too hard for the Lord? Genesis 18:14a Sarah was told by the Lord that she was going to have a son after she was past the age of child bearing. This was possible because God performs miracles and He desires to give good gifts to His children. God had heard her heart’s cry. …
Commitment
August 25, 2011commit your works to the Lord Proverbs 16:3 The Lord is looking for people that are willing to commit everything to Him. When we make a commitment to Him, He enables us to fulfill that commitment. Many are doubtful and are unable to commit to anything and when it comes to the Lord they are …
Wisdom cries out
August 18, 2011wisdom cries out. Proverbs 8:1 Wisdom from God is reaching out to us in every place, every day. You can find wisdom if you look for it, as God has made it available to us. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without …
Hating Evil
August 11, 2011the fear of the Lord is to hate evil Proverbs 8:13 When we begin to love and respect the Lord we develop a hatred for sin and the evil that it produces. Before we become Christians we love sin and we lust after it, but now that we are saved and walking with Jesus we …
A Faithful Man
August 4, 2011a faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will have poverty enough Proverbs 28:20 God is looking for people who have a loyal heart towards Him. When your heart is loyal to the Lord you are considered faithful. To be faithful is to be devoted to God, and one …
Children are a Heritage from the Lord
July 28, 2011behold children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127:3 God has chosen to bless children and according to His word they are a heritage from the Lord. A heritage is to share a portion, something to be treasured. In today’s culture children are not always considered …
I was afflicted
July 21, 2011before I was afflicted I went astray Psalm 119:67 The Psalmist writes here about the discipline and the correction of the Lord in his life and the fact that it is good and necessary. To be afflicted is to be under severe distress and in this case it had affected his relationship with the Lord. …
His testimonies
July 14, 2011your testimonies are my delight and my counselors. Psalm 119:24 The testimonies of the Lord speak of how God has worked in the lives of his people throughout the bible and they speak of how He has worked in our lives today. For example the Lord worked in Abraham’s life and gave him a son …
Loving instruction
July 7, 2011whoever loves instruction loves knowledge Proverbs 12:1 To love instruction is to be wise and obedient to the Lord. Since Jesus is the way and we are to follow Him, we most certainly need Him to instruct us in the way. Instruction can be found in the word of God and it is defined as …
The Benefits of the Lord
June 30, 2011bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits Psalm 103:2 This Psalm really speaks of how good God is to us and of the wonderful promises He has for us in His word. There are so many benefits that are offered to us from the Lord and we ought to bless …
Seek and save the Lost
June 23, 2011for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10 Jesus came to look for lost sinners and He saves them. He goes after people that are confused and hurting and He finds them and rescues them from their life of darkness. His love and compassion are …
All Authority
June 16, 2011you have given Him authority over all flesh. John 17:2b Jesus is over all in position and authority. Therefore we are to submit to His authority and to the authority of His word. In him we have life, more abundantly and submitting to Him is a matter of trust and dependence. It means that we …
New Song
June 9, 2011he has put a new song in my mouth Psalm 40:3 In this psalm David wrote about the Lord putting a new song in his mouth which took place because he knew that God had really taken care of him. David fought many battles, he faced many enemies and he experienced numerous hardships and problems. …
Heart failure prevention
June 2, 2011I would have lost heart. Psalm 27:13a Heart disease is a major threat to people these days, many have suffered heart attacks and problems associated with it. There is another heart problem that we need to be warned about and that is losing heart serving the Lord. We all face discouragement and times of doubt …
My goodness
May 26, 2011My goodness is nothing apart from You. Psalm 16:2c When we think about goodness we must know and realize that goodness comes from God and not from us. Even when we are spiritually walking with the Lord and doing good, that goodness comes from the Lord and not from us. People that do not know …
Where can wisdom be found?
May 19, 2011But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Job 28:12a This statement was made by job when he was going through great trials and afflictions. His friends came to help him but they had falsely accused him of being disobedient and not trusting in the Lord. He admitted that he …
From among you
May 12, 2011seek out from among you Acts 6:3 In the book of Acts the church began to grow and expand, however, they encountered a few difficulties along the way. There were some needs that had been overlooked and in order to compensate for the deficiency they had to select some individuals that could serve the people …
Full of Faith and Power
May 5, 2011…and Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Acts 6:8 Stephen was able to have a huge impact upon the lives of the people he ministered to. The reason is because he was full of the Holy Spirit and when you are full of the Holy Spirit you …
Do not trust in your own heart
April 28, 2011he who trust in his own heart is a fool. Proverbs 28:26b There is a difference between what is in our own hearts and what is in the heart of God. When we trust in ourselves and go by feelings we can get into all kinds of problems. However, when we trust in the Lord …
Commitment
April 21, 2011Father into your hands I commit my Spirit. Having said this he breathed his last. Luke 23:45b Here we see the last words of Jesus upon the cross at Calvary. Jesus surrendered up His life to the Father for us all. He lived a life that was totally committed to obedience and He always did …
Who desires to come after Jesus?
April 14, 2011if anyone desires to come after me let him deny himself Matthew 16:24a Jesus is calling us to follow after Him and to be His disciples. It is easy to say you believe in Jesus but there is a requirement to be His follower. He said we must deny ourselves if we desire to follow …
Encouraged
April 7, 2011… so I was encouraged. Ezra 7:28b Ezra the priest, was used by the Lord to assist his people in the rebuilding of the temple after the return from Babylon. These individuals who were building became discouraged and stopped the work because they were falsely accused by the people beyond the river who wrote a …
God withdrew from Him
March 31, 2011God withdrew from him, in order to test him that he might know all that was in his heart. 2 Chronicles 32:31c Hezekiah was a great man of God and a godly king. He led the nation of Israel in one of the greatest spiritual awakenings in their long history. He trusted in God and …
The Leftovers
March 24, 2011for the Lord has blessed his people; and what is left is this great abundance. 2 Chronicles 30:10c Hezekiah led a great revival and an awakening amongst his people. He encouraged them to serve the Lord and he removed all those idols and set up the worship of the Lord. Part of their service to …
His Heart was Lifted up
March 17, 2011but when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction.. 2 Chronicles 26:16 This story is about a King named Uzziah who reigned for over fifty years in Jerusalem. He was one of those Kings that did what was right in the sight of the Lord. God blessed his life and made …
Getting alone with God
March 10, 2011he was alone there. Matthew 14:23b Jesus had been very busy doing ministry and meeting the needs of the multitudes, now it was time for Him to get alone with the Father. He accomplished this by going up on a mountainside to pray. Jesus maintained an ongoing close and personal relationship with the Father. He …
He Owns it All
February 24, 2011for all things come from you 1 Chronicles 29:14c David was collecting items for the temple that would be built by his son Solomon. He himself was blessed of the Lord and he realized that the Lord was the provider of all the resources. As David mentions, of your own we have given you. This …
Marvelous
February 17, 2011Will it be marvelous in my eyes? Zechariah 8:6b The Lord spoke of doing a marvelous work something that would be extraordinary, powerful and amazing. In the eyes of the people they would consider this to be pretty amazing but in the eyes of God, He is able to do great and mighty things. Things …
Compassion for others
February 3, 2011O Jerusalem, Jerusalem… Matthew 23:37a Jesus had reached out to the nation of Israel and they as a whole literally rejected Him. This caused Him pain in His heart because of His great love that He had on their behalf. He desired to bring them into a loving, caring, protective relationship and they wanted none …
A Faithful Man
January 28, 2011a faithful man will abound with blessings Proverbs 28:2 The bible speaks of being faithful to the Lord with our gifts, talents and resources. One of the resources we have been given is the grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards …
God Given Abilities
January 22, 2011He was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze. 1 Kings 7:14b When King Solomon built the temple of the Lord he enlisted people with the talents and skills to do the work. These talents and skills came from the Lord and he gave them this unique ability …
Discerning the Voice of God
January 14, 2011Speak for your servant hears 1 Samuel 3:10b Samuel had never heard the voice of God before and he thought Eli was calling him. Eli realized it was the voice of the Lord and he told Samuel to be open to what the Lord wanted to tell him. Today many of us have a hard …
Grace Undeserved
January 7, 2011He has not dealt with us according to our sins… Psalm 103:10a When we received the Lord Jesus by faith in His word we were saved. This meant we were delivered from our sins, forgiven and set free. By grace we are saved not from anything of ourselves and so we cannot boast in our …
Praying for your Children
December 30, 2010What will be the boys rule of life and His work? Judges 13:12b Manoah was told by the angel of the Lord that he was going to have a son and that the son would be a Nazirite. He was also told that he would be a leader of Israel and his name was Samson. …
You are Mighty
December 24, 2010The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor! Judges 6:12b At the time this word of the Lord was given to Gideon he was hiding out from the enemy, threshing wheat in the wine press. An angel spoke to him and told him that he was a mighty man of valor. This meant …
Make sure that you Love the Lord
December 16, 2010Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God. Joshua 23:11 As Joshua was ending the time of His ministry he gathered together all the people to give them one last bit of instructions. He reminded them of the faithfulness of God in all of their victories which occurred according to …
Let Your Children Know
December 5, 2010then you shall let your children know. Joshua 4:22 Joshua the next generation leader of the nation of Israel was commanded to take the people to the other side of the Jordan River. He would have them cross over through dry land then he was told to set up 12 memorial stones. These stones would …
Giving Thanks
November 23, 2010…and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. Psalm 30:4b It is always good to have a heart that is grateful and thankful to the Lord. The Lord truly is good and He will never withhold any good thing from those who seek after Him. Here in this passage the psalmist gives thanks …
Husbands are to Love their Wives
November 12, 2010husbands, love your wives.. Ephesians 5:25a Three times in this passage of Ephesians Paul exhorts the husbands to love their wives. Each time he gives the example of how this is done. First he tells them to love their wives as Christ also loved the church- This speaks of a sacrificial and unconditional love that …
In your Heart
October 28, 2010these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. Deuteronomy 6:6 God had special plans for His people Israel and those plans were connected to His word. He wanted them to place His words in their hearts and not just have it as knowledge. The heart is known as the center of …
Anxiety causes Depression
October 13, 2010Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25 Many people get depressed about a variety of things and in this scripture, we are told the cause of it. It is anxiety, this is apprehension, concern and worry. Jesus told us not to worry about our lives …
Rivers of Living Water
September 28, 2010He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38 Jesus was giving an invitation to all who would be willing to place their trust in Him. The promise that follows would be rivers of living water flowing in and through the life …
Better Promises
September 22, 2010established on better promises Hebrews 8:6c The New covenant in Jesus is a more excellent ministry and Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant and this covenant is established on better promises. The new is better than the old because the new gives us the power through the grace of God. The new does …
Sufficiency for all Things
September 10, 2010for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done-indeed too much. Exodus 36:7 God had called the children of Israel to do the work for the service of the sanctuary and to be obedient to all that the Lord had commanded them. He gifted the men and gave them wisdom …
God’s Restoring Grace
September 2, 2010so you, by the help of your God return… Hosea 12:6a There are times that we as Christians get away from the Lord and are not as close as we need to be. To become close again takes a sovereign work of grace and the will of man in partnership together with God. God’s restoring …
I Bore You On Eagle’s Wings
August 19, 2010you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to myself Exodus 19:4 The Lord delivered the children of Israel from hard bondage and slavery. He took them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness that they might worship Him. He bore …
The Lord Heard Him
August 4, 2010this poor man cried out and the Lord him, and, saved him out of all his troubles. Psalm 34:6 The Lord knows what we need, even before we ask Him. We are encouraged to cry out to Him and pour our hearts out before Him. Taking our burdens to the Lord in prayer is something …
Commitment and not Vows
July 25, 2010Then Jacob made a vow… Genesis 19:20a Jacob had to leave home in a hurry and now he is in the wilderness. He had deceived his father and his brother and taken not only the birthright but also the blessing that was supposed to go to Esau. Now he is out and alone and the …
God will provide for His people
July 20, 2010the Lord will provide Genesis 22:13b Abraham was tested by the Lord. His own son asked where is the sacrifice? Abraham responded through his declaration of faith. He said that the Lord will provide for himself the lamb for a sacrifice. This lamb is a type of Christ who was the lamb that became the sacrifice …
The Cunning Serpent
July 7, 2010the serpent was more cunning than any beasts of the field Genesis 3:1b The serpent known as the devil, Satan, and the deceiver is very crafty and mischievous. He deceived Eve and then Adam to partake of that which they were not to have partaken in. God gave them a command and he twisted the word …
Apply the word of God
June 27, 2010Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge Proverbs 23:12 To apply the instruction in the word of God is to follow through in obedience to the things He has told us. It requires a willingness to submit and yield to the plan of God. James 1:22- But be doers of …
Loving and Seeking
June 7, 2010I love those who love me…And those who seek me diligently will find me. Proverbs 8:17 Here we find that loving and seeking go together. Our relationship with the Lord is between two and not just one. We love Him because He first loved us and we seek Him because we desire to get to …
The Light
May 31, 2010But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light Isaiah 60:19c Jesus is the light of the world and if we follow Him we will not be in darkness. Darkness represents sin and spiritual blindness. We have been saved by grace and set free from sin and darkness and now we have the light …
